(LA Illuminator) Qualifying Louisiana residents in areas Hurricane Francine impacted last week will be able to receive federal assistance with replacing or supplementing their food, state officials announced Friday.
The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services received approval on Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) operations in eight parishes, automatic SNAP replacement benefits for four parishes, and automatic SNAP supplements for six parishes.
Current SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP.
DSNAP details
Residents in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes are eligible for DSNAP individual assistance.
DSNAP interviews will start on Wednesday, and residents in the eight approved parishes should call the LAHelpU Customer Service Center at 1-888-LAHELPU (1-888-524-3578) to apply for DSNAP on their designated day:
Wednesday, Sept. 25 –A-G
Thursday, Sept. 26 – H-M
Friday, Sept. 27 – N-Z
Monday, Sept. 30 – Open to all
Tuesday, Oct. 1 – Open to all
Application hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. After selecting your language, press 6 followed by 1. Vulnerable groups, including the elderly and disabled, unable to apply by phone can apply in person at selected DCFS offices or community-based organizations within the affected parishes.
Ascension Parish: DCFS Ascension Economic Stability office 1078 E Worthy St., Gonzales, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
Assumption Parish: Bella Rose Branch Library, 7089 Highway 1, Belle Rose, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday
Lafourche Parish: DCFS Lafourche Child Welfare office, 1416 Tiger Drive, Thibodaux, 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
St. Charles Parish: Alan Arterbury Building 14564 River Road, New Sarpy, 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
St. James Parish: Vacherie Branch Library, 2593 Highway 20, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., M-F
St. John Parish: Let’s Work! River Parishes LaPlace Office, 1708 Chantilly Drive, Suite A, LaPlace, 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
St. Mary Parish: DCFS St. Mary Child Welfare office, 604 2nd St., Franklin, 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
Terrebonne Parish: DCFS Terrebonne Economic Stability office, 1012 W. Tunnel Blvd., Houma, 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
Translation services are available throughout the application process. Workers will verify the applicant’s identity, residency and disaster-related expenses from Sept. 9 to Oct. 8, 2024. Most applicants will learn their approval status and benefit amount immediately, followed by a confirmation letter sent by mail.
Applicants can designate an authorized representative to apply on their behalf, but this requires approval from the head of the household, who will be contacted to confirm the authorization.
Approved applicants will receive an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card by mail.
There are two types of assistance for SNAP recipients in certain affected parishes: replacements and supplements.
SNAP replacements
SNAP recipients in Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne will automatically receive replacement of 40% of their September benefits if they were issued on or before Francine’s Sept. 11 landfall. These are the parishes where more than 50% of residents lost power for more than 24 hours, as verified with the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Replacement benefits will be issued to recipients’ EBT cards by Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Recipients in other parishes who lost food purchased with SNAP benefits as the result of power outages of at least 24 hours or other impacts from Hurricane Francine may apply for replacements.
For SNAP households who do not receive automatic replacements, they must show that they experienced food losses were the result of power outages of at least 24 hours or other impacts from Hurricane Francine to qualify. The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is working with the Public Service Commission to verify outages.
If DCFS cannot confirm a household’s power outage, recipients may need to provide documentation from their utility company. This can take time, so residents are advised to request their verification documents as soon as possible.
If approved, eligible households will receive replacement benefits equal to the value of the food lost, up to the amount of one month’s SNAP benefits. These benefits will be added directly to the household’s EBT card.
If recipients in these four parishes lost more food than the automatic benefit replacement covers, they can still submit a SNAP 38 form to claim additional benefits. The deadline for submitting this form is Monday, Sept. 30.
SNAP in additional parishes
SNAP recipients in 16 other parishes affected by Hurricane Francine also have until Sept. 30 to submit a SNAP 38 form to request replacement benefits. These parishes are Ascension, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington
Outside of the 20 parishes
SNAP households in parishes not included in the 20 parishes listed above can still request replacement benefits if they lost power for 24 hours or more. The deadline to submit a SNAP 38 form in these parishes is Monday, Sept. 23. SNAP recipients may be asked to provide proof of their power loss.
How to apply for SNAP replacements
Online: Complete and submit a SNAP 38 form online at https://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/form/snap-38-online.
Upload: Scan and upload a completed SNAP 38 form via the CAFÉ system.
Mail or Fax: Send a completed SNAP 38 form to the DCFS Document Processing Center, P.O. Box 260031, Baton Rouge, LA 70826, or fax it to 225-663-3164.
In-Person: If you are unable to submit the form electronically or by mail, deliver it to your nearest DCFS Economic Stability office. Find office locations at www.dcfs.la.gov/offices
Missed the deadline?
Call 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578) before the deadline for your parish (September 30 for the 20 listed parishes, or September 23 for all other parishes) to report your food loss, and provide your parish, the dollar value of the lost food, and how long you were without power. You will still need to submit your signed SNAP 38 form within 10 days of reporting the loss.
In keeping with federal regulations, DCFS cannot process a SNAP replacement request until the department has received a completed and signed SNAP 38 Form.
SNAP supplements
SNAP households in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes who are not already receiving the maximum monthly benefit amount will automatically receive supplemental benefits to bring their households to the maximum for one month. Hurricane-affected households in St. Charles and St. James parishes may apply for supplemental benefits to bring their households to the maximum for one month.
How to apply for SNAP supplements
SNAP recipients in St. James and St. Charles parishes must apply:
Online: Complete and submit a DIS-14 form online at https://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/form/statement-of-disaster-loss.
Upload: Scan and upload a completed Statement of Disaster Loss via the CAFÉ system.
Mail or Fax: Send a completed Statement of Disaster Loss to the DCFS Document Processing Center, P.O. Box 260031, Baton Rouge, LA 70826, or fax it to 225-663-3164.
In-Person: If you are unable to submit the form electronically or by mail, deliver it to your nearest DCFS Economic Stability office. Find office locations at www.dcfs.la.gov/offices.
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